Improvement in bit-braces



W. A. IVES & A. RUTZ.

BIT-BRACES.

No. 175,105. Patented 'March 21,1876.

N. PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHR, WASHINGTON D C NITED yS"I"A'JiEs PATENTOFFICE.

WILLIAM A. IvEs ANDA'NDEEWEUTZ, CE NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, g AssICNonsTo vWILLIAMA. IvEs a Co., or sAME PLACE.

l-MPQvI-:MENT iN BIT-BRAcEs.

Specification forming part fof Letters Patent No. 175,l05, dated March21, 1876; application filed November 30,1875.

ANDREW RUIZ, both of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State ofConnecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Bit- Braces; and we dohereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the acencemarked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,and which said drawings constitute part of this specication, andrepresent, in-` Figure 1, side view; Fig. 2, vertical central section;Fig. 3, end view; Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7, detached views.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of bit-braces inwhich the tang ot' the bit is grasped between a pair ot' jaws; and theinvention consists, principally, in the mechanism for operating thejaws, as more fully hereinafter set forth, 4and as recited in theclaims.

A is the body of the socket, here represented as forming a part ot' thebow B. This is constructed with a longitudinal slot, as seen in Fig. 4,extending from the outer end toward the base. Into this slot a pair ofauxiliary jaws, a, b, are hung upon a pivot, d, and the outer surfacemade slightly convex, and toothed to form a rack shaped edge, as seen inFigs. 4, 5, and 6.

Between the upper ends of these auxiliary jaws the lower ends of theprincipal jaws C D are set, and secured by a transverse pintle, e, thejaws extending up through the slot in the body A. The upper ends of thejaws are inclined upon their outer surface, and on the insideconstructed so asn to grasp the tang and spindle of the bit. Between thelower ends of the jaws, above the pintle e, a spring, f, is arranged,the tendency of which is to force the jaws .from eachA other. Over thesejaws and the body A the sleeve E is set.' This sleeve is internallythreaded throughout its lower portion, corresponding to the teeth on theauxiliary jaws a b, the teeth of those jaws projecting beyond thesurface of the body. The

diameter of the sleeve inside the thread should correspond very nearlyto the body A, but so as to pass freely on over the body, to engage theteeth of the auxiliary jaws. The mouth of the sleeve E is inclined orconical-shaped in lfthe inside, as seen in Fig. 2; hence, when thesleeve is turned so as to run onto the jaws A B, the inner surface ofthemouth of the sleeve I will .bear upon the incline of the jaws C D, andcause them to close or approach each other. companying drawings and theletters of rei'er- The. tangs of different bits vary to a considerableextent; hence it is impossible to shape the interior of the jaws to givethem an incline which will grasp varying tangs throughout their lengthwithout closing or separating the jaws at their inner end to change theangle ot' the jaws relative to each other; hence it is necessary toclose the lower end of the jaws more or less, to so change the angle ofthe jaws that they will Conform to the taper of the tang. To do this isthe object of the auxiliary jaws a b.

When the tang is inserted, and the sleeve turned on to bring the jawsupon the larger end of the tang, that end of the jaws then rests; but byfurther turning the sleeve, the thread within the sleeve draws upon theteeth of the auxiliary jaws a b, causing them to turn upon the pivot d,their upper endsto be alike thrown inward, and carry with them the lowerend of the jaws, until the jaws closely grasp the tang throughout. Thisextent ot' movement of the lower end of the jaws depends entirely uponthe taper of the tang: in tangs .ot' little taper the movement would beless, and correspondingly greater iu tangs of more taper. This movementof the auxiliary jaw insures a like movement of the inner end of eachot' the jaws C D, so that the bit is positively brought into line withthe axis of the socket.

When the jaws are wide open and free, as in Fig. 2, the spring f wouldbe exposed, and liable to be struck by the tang in placing it betweenthe jaws. To prevent the possibility ot' this each jaw is constructed onits meeting surface with a lug, n, on one side, just above the spring,and projeetinginward, extending, say, half-way across the face, and theremainder of the face correspondingly recessed, as at m. Both jaws beingmade alike and set together, the lug 'n of one corresponds, and comes inline with the recess of the other, as

seen in Fig. 6, and so as to form a guard above the spring, to preventanything inserted at the mouth from interfering` with it.

While we have represented the sleeve as the part moving axially to closethe jaws, the sleeve or its mouth may be made a part of the brace, andthe body A with the jaws detached from the brace, and moved axially byturning an external nut; yet we prefer that the body should be thestationary part, and the whole sleeve to move as we have described.

It is not essential to all the parts of this in vention that theauxiliary jaws a b be separate from each other and hinged, as described;they may be a single piece made fast in or a part of the body A, withthe principal jaws C D secured in the recess by the pintle e, in the'same manner as shown; but in that case the same positive axial positionof the bit would not be attained. The spring fis not positivelyessential to the operation of the jaws G D, but is a convenience forautomatically opening the jaws.

We are aware that it is not new to construct a bit-brace with jaws tograsp a tang, combined with a sleeve operating upon the conical orinclined outer surfaces ofthe jaws, to open and close them, andtherefore We do not claim such construction.

We claim- 1. In a bitfbrace, the combination of the following elements:the longitudinally-slotted socket or body A, the auxiliary jaws a b,hinged in the said slot, with their outer surV face curved and threaded,as described, the principal jaws U D, hung between the ends of the saidauxiliary jaws, and the sleeve E, threaded upon the inside,corresponding to the teeth or thread on the edge of the auxiliary jaws,and contracted at its mouth, substantially as described.

2. The grasping-jaws of a bit-brace, each constructed with a lug, n, anda corresponding recess, m. upon their meeting surfaces.

substantially as and for the purpose described.

WM. A. IVES. ANDREW RUTZ. Witnesses:

JOHN E. EARLE, CLARA BRoUGHToN.

